MCC Men's Basketball Players in the Pros MCC Men's Basketball Players Moving On
Former Marshalltown Community College men's basketball standout Jamal Gatali has been selected in the inaugural National Basketball League All-Canadian draft with the No. 5 overall pick by the Moncton Miracles. Gatali was a member of the Tigers from 2012-2014.
The NBL, which was founded in 2011, consists of 10 teams in two divisions. The Miracles, located in Moncton, New Brunswick are coached by Paul Mokeski, a former assistant coach with the Charlotte Bobcats who spent 12 seasons as a player in the NBA.
"I'm very honored to be able to continue my basketball career after college," Gatali expressed. "Not everyone gets this chance, especially right after their senior year. I'm to see that everything is starting to pay off but I still have a lot more work to do."
"My expectation is just to adapt to the new level of competition and spacing of the court because of the slightly different rule changes at the NBL level. I expect to learn a lot from the coaches and people around me to grow as a player on and off the court."
Gatali, a Toronto, Ontario native, played in 62 games as a Tiger, making 55 career starts. At MCC, Gatali averaged 9.3 points per game while grabbing 5.9 rebounds during his two years. Following his tenure at MCC, Gatali moved on to NCAA Division II Slippery Rock University. Gatali started 52 of a possible 54 games for the Rock.
"MCC showed me a lot in my first two years of college," Gatali continued. "The coaching staff taught me how different the game is once you change countries. They also taught me how to get used to players that you've never met before and come together to achieve one common goal. I learned how to approach the game and balance on and off the court issues to get the most out of yourself as you learn to make a career out of it."
"My favorite part of MCC were my teammates. They're the ones that made it the most enjoyable on and off the court. Of course coach Brynjarsson had a big influence on me. He took a chance on me as a player and gave me this great opportunity. He also helped a lot by teaching me how to understand the game and approach each team a different way while always looking forward to the next play. Coach also taught me that practice can be fun at times when ran the right way but also preparing us for the next game at the same time."
"Other coaches throughout my career at MCC that really played a big role for me were coach (Bryen) Spriggs, coach (Alex) Wells, and coach (Dashad) Isumu. They really helped me develop my game and become a more consistent player on the court. Coach (Ron) Ginapp was the most fun loving coach and would always keep our spirits up and kept the positivity going even in the worst moments. He had no problem telling the honest truth to us when needed which was greatly appreciated."
MCC head coach Brynjar Brynjarsson was glad to see another one of his players reach the professional level. "I'm trilled for Jamal," Brynjarsson stated. "He was able to go out and earn his degree from Slippery Rock and now has the chance to continue an already great career that he has put together. Jamal has a bright future ahead of him."
The NBL season tips off in December.
To see a full list of former Tigers that have played in the professional ranks: IN THE PROS
To see a full list of former Tigers that have moved on to four year institutions: MOVING ON
